Through the Darkness Comes the Laughter
by Agent Ilse Stiefel-Getzug
Summary: Pre-SA. Previously called "Sick Days." What do best friends do when one of them is sick? Moritz is sick and Ilse wants to help him out, but Moritz feels he needs to return the favour. Read and review! Now a three-shot!
1. Sick Days

**So this is my first story. Instead of lurking and reviewing, I thought I'd give it a try. Please read and review!**

**Disclaimer (because I had to include it): If I owned Spring Awakening, then Moritz and Ilse would be together and alive,but alas...**

* * *

"Moritz?" said ten-year old Ilse as she approached their wigwam, trying to find her best friend. "Moritz? Are you here?" she whispered, tiptoeing in their hideout. When she saw that it was empty she ran to his house, her bare feet digging into the grass, her long brown hair flying behind her.

She tried her best to stay quiet and silently approach Moritz's window. She picked up a pebble and threw it against the window. "Moritz, are you there?"

The window opened, and out popped a head full of bushy hair that was sticking up in all the wrong places.

"Ilse?" said eleven-year old Moritz as he rubbed his eyes. "You frightened me."

"I thought that on Tuesdays we meet at our wigwam," replied Ilse as she walked closer to the window.

"I was going to meet you Ilse, I swear!" said Moritz in a stuffy voice as he stopped to sneeze into his pajama sleeve and lean out the window. "But I've been sick for the past few days." He sneezed again which caused Ilse to move out of the way of his projectile snot.

"Why didn't you tell me? I would've brought the homemade soup Mama cooked yesterday."

"It's fine Ilse," sniffled Moritz. "Mama makes the best tea. Besides, that soup was meant for you and your Papa, not for me."

Ilse scowled a little at the mention of her Papa. The bruises on her arms were barely starting to heal. She shook it off, though, for Moritz.

"There must be something I can do..." said Ilse, wanting to help her friend. "Oh, I have an idea!"

"Ilse?" Moritz was confused. Ilse propped herself up on the windowsill and climbed through it to sit on the other side. He was scared now. He wasn't supposed to have girls, or any other friends, for that matter, in his room. "Ilse what are you doing?" he whispered, hoping Mama and Papa wouldn't notice.

"You don't have one. Great!" said Ilse and proceeded to hop out the window and run into the forest.

"Ilse?" he yelled out the window as the door started to open and a knock was heard.

"Moritz, how are you feeling?" said his Mama as he hurried to climb into bed, knowing she brought tea.

"Better..." replied Moritz, looking out the window to where Ilse had run off.

* * *

Ilse ran home, trying to avoid her father. As she stepped through the door and ran to her room, she heard her mother say, "Ilse? Why are you in such a rush? I'm almost done making dinner, but you can have the soup from last night for now."

Ilse was rummaging through her room, trying to find the thing she knew would cheer Moritz up, barely paying attention to what her mother was saying. "No thank you, Mama. I'm not hungry." She went through the closet and the space beneath her bed, until finally she found it, behind her old rocking chair. "Aha!" she smiled and ran out of her room as quickly as she could. But when she ran past the kitchen, her mother stopped her.

"Ilse? Where are you going, and why are you taking that?" her mother asked, curious as to why her daughter was in such a rush.

"I'm just going to play. It's still light out," Ilse said.

"Alright, just don't stay out so late this time. I'm almost finished with dinner and your father just got home and you know how he likes to eat as a family."

Ilse shuddered at the mention of that monster and hated that she mentioned family. He never treated her as his daughter.

"I promise I won't be out late, Mama. But may I please go now?"

Her mother smiled at her, knowing how active and imaginative Ilse could be.

"Sure, but be back soon!"

Ilse ran out the kitchen door, but bumped into the last person she wanted to see.

"Where are you going?" her father demanded.

Ilse mustered up as much confidence as she could. "Out."

All of a sudden a voice from the kitchen was heard. "Let her go, darling, she'll be back in time." said her mother.

He noticed Ilse trying to run to the door as her mother was talking. "Why are you taking that? Do you know how expensive that was?" he said as he pushed her against the door.

"You didn't buy it," she said quietly, looking away, hoping he wouldn't hit her. Anger came to his face again and was about to strike her, but decided against it.

"Fine. You may go. Just be sure to come home in time or you will pay. And you don't want to anger me," he angrily whispered in her ear.

She knew not to anger her father and opened the door as fast as she could. She leaned against the door, wiping the tears that were about to spill and ran. She wanted to run as far away from him as possible, but remembered her friend. He was the reason she ran back home anyway. So she ran to Moritz's house, a smile replacing the fear on her face.

* * *

Ilse came back about 20 minutes later, a toy in her hands. By now, Moritz was asleep again, sleeping off the tea his Mama made. She knocked on his window with her toy.

Moritz came to the window and saw a horse looking at him. "AHH!" he screamed as he saw an animal staring at him. Ilse's head popped out from behind the horse and looked at Moritz weird.

"Are you okay?" she asked as colour started to come back to Moritz's face.

"Yeah," he replied, noticing now that it wasn't a real horse. "What's that?" he asked.

Ilse smiled and said, "It's my hobbyhorse, but you can borrow it."

"Ilse…" Moritz started to say, but she cut him off.

"Don't say anything. You probably don't have a lot to do here while you're sick, so you can borrow this."

Moritz opened the window so Ilse could come in. "Ilse, you don't have to do this," he said, although Ilse noticed Moritz admiring the horse as they sat down on the bed and she handed it to him.

"Isn't it pretty? Mama bought it for me from those artists in Priapia when we were walking in town." It was pretty. It had beautiful, ornate designs printed on it that were very bohemian, but perfect in detail. "They said it would be perfect for a pretty little girl like me," she smiled.

"Ilse," Moritz started to ask. "Don't you think those artists are a little, you know, dangerous? Everyone says horrible things about them."

"I don't believe those silly rumours, Moritz. You don't even know them. Anyways, they make pretty things there, don't they?"

"They do," Moritz agreed. He smiled over at his best friend. "Thank you Ilse. You really didn't have to do this."

She held his gaze for a little longer than she thought and smiled back at him, patting his hand. "Don't worry about it. Just as long as you promise to bring it back to our wigwam if you're feeling better next Tuesday."

"Can it be Friday? I think I'll be better then and we need to make up for today."

She smiled her Ilse smile. "Of course! We'll dig up those tomahawks and play together!"

"And ride on your steed!" Moritz continued, holding up the toy. They laughed like only children could laugh, until Moritz started sneezing and coughing again.

"I'm sorry you're sick, Moritz. I would've brought the soup but I can't run with soup and a hobbyhorse in my hands."

"You don't even need to bother. I'll be better again soon."

Suddenly a knock came at the door. Ilse ducked behind Moritz as he tried to shield her away from the door. Luckily, no one came in. "Moritz, do you want some more tea?"

They breathed a small smile of relief and Moritz answered, "Yes please, Mama."

"Alright," Frau Stiefel replied, her footsteps echoing down the hall. Ilse sat upright again.

"I should probably go," she said, not wanting to return home to her father. Moritz nodded.

"Yes, I don't want Mama or Papa to catch us," he said, going to the closet so that his parents won't see it. "Thank you again, Ilse. It means a lot."

"Don't worry," she said as she was about to leave through the window. She ran and gave Moritz a fleeting hug, not caring if she got sick. "I hope you feel better and I'll see you on Friday."

He hugged her back, shocked, and watched her as she left. "Bye," was all he could say.

She smiled back at him as she ran towards her house. He watched her run, knowing he should probably get back in bed when his Mama came back. He saw her disappear from his line of sight, and then climbed into bed, seeing a little bit of her hobbyhorse and smiled.

"I should get her something, too. Maybe from Priapia," he said to himself, trying to think of an appropriate gift, remembering her running barefoot with no shoes or stockings. That was it, as soon as he was feeling better and those artists were still here, he knew what to get Ilse:

Sky blue stockings.

* * *

**Review!**


	2. Shopping Trip

**I got some positive feedback from Sick Days and I discovered I love writing! Especially children fics, I think it's fun. So I decided it to make it a multi-chapter fic, probably not gonna last more than 4 chapters.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything here :(**

* * *

"Should I be doing this? Should I even be here?"

Moritz Stiefel was hesitating to approach the cart. Not two weeks ago, he had said to Ilse that these people were dangerous, yet here he was, a few feet away from the cart of these artists. They hailed from Priapia and were deemed as "dangerous and crazy bohemians," at least according to his Mama.

Anyways, he felt scared to approach them, but he owed it to himself and to Ilse. She let him borrow one of her most favourite possessions in the world; her hobbyhorse made by the artists in Priapia. It was beautiful, and she let him borrow it for a full week, even though her parents wouldn't be happy about that. He took it upon himself to return the favour and thought of the perfect gift to get her.

"Hey! You want something?" he heard someone yell. It took him a moment to realize someone was talking to him. Moritz finally walked up to the cart, trying not to stutter.

"Um…h-h-h-hi," said Moritz. Okay, so much for not stuttering. He cleared his throat again. "D-do you h-have…," he started to say.

"What's wrong with you kid? Got nothing to say? Speak up!" said the artist.

"Stockings. D-do you have stockings?" Moritz finally managed to say. "Sky blue stockings?"

"Hey!" the artist shouted to the others behind the cart who were being rowdy. "We got a customer here! Where's the box of stockings?" One of the others came up the head and handed him the box, but not before giving Moritz a curious look. He rummaged through the box and came up with a pile of clean, sky blue stockings. "What size?" he asked.

Then it hit Moritz. He had no idea what he was doing. He didn't know what Ilse's size was, or how much it would be. He only had the money saved from his birthday.

The artist was waiting for an answer. "You gotta help me out kid; I'm trying to help you. What size?"

"Umm….I d-don't know," said Moritz.

The artist sighed and tried again. "Okay, kid…who's it for? Girlfriend?"

"NO, no, no!" said Moritz, who started to blush. "It's for my friend, but she's not my girlfriend!"

"Alright kid. So it's for your lady friend?" said the artist. Moritz nodded. "How tall is she? Maybe it'll help you figure out the size."

"S-she's a little shorter than me," said Moritz.

The artist looked at Moritz and guessed which size he needed. "How's this?" he asked.

"M-maybe it'll f-fit," said Moritz.

"Kid, you can stop stuttering, okay? I ain't gonna hurt you," said the artist and pulled out another pair, but slightly smaller. "Is this better?" he asked and laid out the two side by side. The first pair was slightly bigger, but Moritz still wasn't sure which one to pick.

"Kid, this is the best I could do. You have any idea how big her feet are?"

Moritz tried to think back to when he last paid attention to Ilse's feet (and had a hard time remembering).

It was back when she first lent him her hobbyhorse and she was leaving his house through his bedroom window. It was when he first decided he was going to get Ilse sky blue stockings when he saw her running barefoot.

_Moritz was rummaging through the kitchen, trying to find more of his mother's tea._

"_Mama?" yelled__ Moritz._

"_I'm out in the garden,__" said the voice of his mother._

_He walked outside to find his Mama and trying to avoid the mud since it was raining yesterday morning. Something caught his eye, though: _Ilse's footprint. She never bothers to wear shoes anymore. _She must've left a footprint when she was leaving. He noticed it was smaller than he thought it would be, but ran on to ask his Mama if she still had tea._

"D-do you have a smaller size?" he asked, trying not to stutter.

The artist pulled out one more pair and held it out to Moritz. _It looks right_, Moritz thought. He looked at it from all sides and decided this was it. He smiled, thinking how Ilse would react.

The artist noticed him smiling and said, "I'm guessing that's the winning pair, right kid?"

"Yes," said Moritz. He looked up at the artist. "How much is it?"

He thought for a moment, looked behind him, then back at Moritz. "You know what, kid? I'll let you in on a little secret," he said and told Moritz to lean closer so he could hear him.

"I'll let you have those for free."

"Really?" said Moritz excitedly.

"Shh!" said the artist, and Moritz immediately became quiet. "Yeah, kid. You're cool. And I can tell you really want this pair for your lady friend. So it's on me." He lowered his voice down to a whisper, "Just don't tell anybody else."

Moritz nodded. "Thank you, sir," he said and shook his hand.

"Not a problem, kid. Now go out there and get your lady friend!" said the artist. Moritz started to blush a little, but smiled and nodded at him and ran off, a pair of sky blue stockings in his hands.

Another artist came out from behind the cart and approached the head artist. "Johann, did you seriously just give those stockings to that kid for free?"

Johann smiled and said, "Yeah, but he's a good kid." He smiled and saw Moritz as he disappeared behind the corner. "Kid's got heart."

* * *

**Review! **


	3. Had a Rough Day?

**So it's the last chapter. I have become addicted to writing! I hate when plot bunnies won't leave you alone. But here it is. **

**Warning! This chapter is full of Kiddie!Moritz/Ilse fluff! Brace yourself...**

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned it...an author can dream, right?**

* * *

Ilse was having a rough day as she ran to her and Moritz's wigwam. She ran as fast as her legs could take her. She reached the shelter of the wigwam just as it started to drizzle. Thinking she was alone, she burst into tears, crying in the middle of the wigwam, rubbing her arms where new bruises were sure to show.

"Ilse?" she heard a voice say.

Moritz. She wasn't expecting him to be here now, so late at night. He was standing up, hesitant to approach her. "Moritz, what are you doing here? It's so late."

"Ilse, what happened to you? Why are you crying?" asked Moritz. He, obviously, didn't notice her rubbing her arms. He stood there, not quite sure what to do.

"It's nothing, Moritz. Really, I've…" Ilse struggled, trying to think of the right words. "I've just been having a rough day."

"Are you sure, Ilse? It seems to be more than just a rough day," said Moritz as Ilse tried to sneakily wipe the tears from her eyes.

"I'm fine, Moritz," said Ilse, trying to smile. Moritz couldn't take it anymore; he took Ilse into his arms, rubbing her back, awkwardly trying to comfort her. Ilse broke down and cried into his shoulder, not being able to hold it in anymore. She sobbed into his shoulder until she was sure she was staining his shirt. He kept whispering "It's okay, it's okay," trying to comfort his best friend.

She didn't know how long they stood there, her crying in his shoulder, not holding anything back. He didn't care, but hugged her, making sure she was all right. She finally broke apart from him, looking him in the eyes, sorrow in her gray eyes.

"I'm so sorry Moritz. I shouldn't have broken down like that," said Ilse, wiping the last of the tears from her eyes.

"Are you sure you're okay, Ilse?" asked Moritz, worried about her.

"I'm fine now. I guess I just needed to let it out," said Ilse, a smile coming to her face. "What are you doing here this late? I thought your Mama never lets you out this late." Realization hit her face. "Moritz, I'm sorry, I'm probably keeping you from going home!"

"Relax Ilse," smiled Moritz. "Mama knows I'm here. You know it's only a short distance from my house to here. Mama stopped by this place and said it was messy." Their wigwam was full of toys, specifically for playing pirates. There were fake swords, plastic horses, cloth, headbands and other materials needed for a pirate. Even Melchior and Wendla preferred to play pirates here. "We made a deal that it if I clean up around this place and my room back home, then I can stay the night. I even brought a pillow and blanket!"

"You want to sleep here?" asked Ilse. 'It's kinda…"

"Dirty? Messy? I know. But I wanted to give it a try; you know, have an escape," said Moritz.

"Yeah, I know," said Ilse, escaping being the reason she ran here in the first place.

"I'm guessing that's why you're here?"

Ilse nodded. Moritz waited for any other sort of response from her. "Ilse, what happened to you? I've never seen you like this before."

"I don't really want to talk about it, Moritz," said Ilse. "Can we just drop it for now?"

"You promise to tell me?" asked Moritz, wanting to help her any way he could.

Ilse didn't want to lie to him, so she just said, "Moritz, I wouldn't keep anything from you."

Moritz seemed to accept this answer. "You know I'm here for you, right?"

Ilse smiled her Ilse smile and hugged him again. "I know. Thank you." She sighed, knowing that this was the perfect place to escape. "I've just been having a bad day."

Moritz broke apart from her, smiling like only like a child can. "Well, I have something that will cheer you up!" he said excitedly.

"Really? But you didn't even know I would be coming here this late," said Ilse, surprised anyone would get her anything.

"Close your eyes," said Moritz. Making sure her eyes were closed, he crept to a little corner and under his pillow to get something. Ilse, very curious, opened her hands a little to try and see what he was doing. Unfortunately, Moritz caught this.

"Ilse! It's supposed to be a surprise!" he said as Ilse closed her hands again.

"Moritz, are you almost done?" Ilse asked.

Moritz walked back to her, her gift in his hands. "Open your eyes," he said to Ilse.

Ilse opened her eyes to a smiling Moritz and looked in his hands. In his hands was a perfect pair of sky blue stockings, not a speck of dirt on them. She gasped as she carefully took them from his hands, not wanting to get them dirty. She was touched that he would do this for her, and made her feel, well, special.

"Moritz…" Ilse trailed off, still taking it in.

"Do you like it? Is it the right size?" Moritz asked, not exactly sure what her reaction was.

Without thinking, Ilse kissed him on the cheek and hugged him as tightly as she could. Moritz turned red, never being so close with a girl before. Ilse didn't seem to care; she was so happy and touched she could've started crying.

She finally broke apart from him, a huge grin on her face replacing the sadness that was there not a minute before. "I love it, Moritz! It looks like the right size. How did you know?"

He sat down, and motioned for Ilse to sit down, too. "It was when you let me borrow your hobbyhorse. I wanted to do something for you or get something for you."

"Moritz," said Ilse, cutting him off. "I told you not to worry. I wanted you to borrow it, especially since you were pretty sick."

"I still felt you deserved something, too," he said. "I remembered seeing you run back home through the forest, barefoot. You always seem to be barefoot when we play."

"I like being barefoot. You get to feel the ground beneath your feet and between your toes. I like it," said Ilse, admiring the stockings. "But now, I don't think I'll be going barefoot as much," she said smiling.

Moritz laughed and continued. "When I saw you running, I was trying to figure out a gift for you. And then it hit me just like that; sky blue stockings. I don't know why, but for some reason I knew you'd like it."

Ilse laughed and said, "You know me too well, Moritz." She decided she should try it on. "I almost don't want to wear these. I'm afraid I might ruin them," she said tentatively.

"No, go ahead. I won't even look," said Moritz, turning around and covering his eyes so he couldn't see her.

Ilse laughed and put the stockings on. They fit her perfectly. She smiled, thinking of all the times she would wear it.

"Moritz, you can turn around now," said Ilse. He turned around, hands still on his eyes. "With your eyes open," she said and waited until he could see her.

"They fit me perfectly!" Ilse exclaimed excitedly. "I love it," she said and hugged him again. Moritz smiled and they both looked outside as the rain started to pour even harder.

"I really don't want to go home," Ilse said. She would give anything not to go back to the place where she was sure to get hurt again. "Moritz…can I stay here with you?"

Moritz seemed hesitant; he didn't want her to be uncomfortable. "Are you sure, Ilse? It's not the comfiest place to sleep. Do you want me to get you a pillow and blanket?"

"No, no, Moritz. It's fine," Ilse said, happy that a friend cared about her so much. "Anything's better than going back home this late. I'm surprised you feel safe sleeping here."

"Oh, I don't mind," said Moritz. "But you'd rather stay here with me?"

Ilse smiled at her friend. "Of course, Moritz! I love being with my fellow pirate!"

Moritz started to blush a little, but turned away so Ilse wouldn't notice. He walked over to where he put his blanket and pillow and laid the blanket on the smoothest part of the ground.

"Blanket or pillow?" he asked Ilse.

"It doesn't matter," Ilse responded. Anything was better than going back home. She'd sleep on the ground if she had to.

Moritz felt awkward. "So then…how do we sleep?"

Ilse laughed at her friend's naivety. "Do you really think it's that awkward, Moritz?"

Moritz started to blush. "Well, I don't know what to do!" he said, a little frustrated. "What do you think?"

"I don't know," said Ilse. "I didn't know you would feel this uncomfortable!" she laughed.

"I'm not uncomfortable!" defended Moritz. "I just don't know what to do," he sighed as he lied down on the blanket.

Ilse lied down beside her friend. "Do you really think it's that difficult, Moritz? Look at us now."

Moritz turned his head to see Ilse lying down beside him, and realized she was right. "Oh…" he trailed off.

Ilse giggled. "Well, we can try to sleep, or play pirates. What do you want to do?" she asked as she tried to hold in a yawn.

This time it was Moritz's time to laugh. "I think you just answered your own question, Ilse," he said as he yawned, too.

She nodded and hesitantly laid her head on Moritz's chest, not wanting it to be awkward.

Moritz looked down on his friend and smiled, knowing that she was safe, for now. He put his arm around her.

"You want the pillow?" he asked softly. Ilse shook her head and lay there, drifting off to sleep.

Moritz took the pillow and laid it under his head, remembering how Ilse had burst into tears earlier. He smiled knowing that he brightened her day and made her truly smile with the sky blue stockings. As he drifted off to sleep, he wondered when would be the next time he would see her blissfully happy again.

* * *

Frau Stiefel slowly tiptoed to her son and Ilse's wigwam in the early hours of the morning. They made a deal that if he cleaned his room and the wigwam, he could sleep there. She peeked through the opening, making sure her son was safe.

She wasn't expecting, however, for there to be a guest. There lay Ilse, looking peaceful and comfortable on Moritz, which Moritz didn't seem to mind. Over the night, he wrapped both arms around Ilse, making sure she was safe, and was holding her hand, even if he didn't know it. On Ilse's feet was a pair of sky blue stockings, the same pair that Moritz tried to hide from his mother. Frau Stiefel grinned seeing the two.

"I knew it," she whispered to herself. Her husband was a bit further away.

"Did you say something?" he asked his wife.

"Bring the tea that I made this morning and two cups. Quickly!" she told him.

"Two?" Herr Stiefel asked.

"Just go, and hurry!" she said, still smiling at the two sleeping soundly.

Not five minutes later, Herr Stiefel returned with a kettle of tea and two cups on a tray.

"Why two?" he asked.

"Look, darling…" she said and smiled again. Herr Stiefel looked and saw Moritz and Ilse.

"What are they doing?" he quietly whispered, trying to sound angry, but found the two friends together endearing.

"They're sleeping. Aren't they precious?" Frau Stiefel said.

"Does Herr Neumann know about this?" he asked, trying to keep the tenderness out of his voice.

"I'm sure it won't matter. You don't want to disturb them, do you?" she asked her husband in disbelief.

"No!" Herr Stiefel said. "I just want to make sure her parents know and that she's safe."

"Apparently, Moritz does, too," grinned Moritz's mother as Moritz unconsciously rubbed Ilse's back softly, as if making sure she was still there.

"I have to go," said Herr Stiefel as he kissed his wife's head and handed her the tray.

"Goodbye," she said, and silently walked into the wigwam to put the tray down. Before she left she took one last look at the two.

"Make sure you make him happy, Ilse. I would never want him to do sadness."

* * *

**So I'm not too sure about the ending, but review!**

**Reviews make authors happy :)**


End file.
